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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Review of "The Christian Mama's Guide to Parenting a Toddler" by Erin Macpherson!

In my opinion, this book could not have come at a more opportune time for me! I always pictured the terrible two's occurring when a toddler is at least 2 years old, but according to Erin Macpherson in "The Christian Mama's Guide to Parenting a toddler", the terrible two's actually begin at 18 months. Seeing as how our daughter is just 16 months, we are already beginning to see many of the traits Erin describes in this book in our daughter!

Erin addresses many of the issues parents face while parenting a two year old. Bedtimes, tantrums, picky eaters, and help with what's normal and what isn't. The author shares her own experiences as a mother of three children, with both humor and compassion for other mamas! Even if you're a seasoned vet with an abundance of parenting expertise, you will benefit from this book! This book may be aimed at parenting younger children, but Erin still offers excellent advice for parenting from birth on up to 6 years.

I think one of my favorite chapters of this book was the one entitled "The Food Fight". A chapter dedicated to getting your kids to eat healthier and to at least attempt to abandon their picky habits. My toddler is definitely not a picky eater but this was still one of my favorites. I especially loved the kid friendly recipes, and Erin's definitions of the types of toddler eaters, which are actually pretty humorous.

I also enjoyed the chapter discussing discipline. So many times as parents we are quick to dole out a punishment for anything our child might have done wrong. We think there must always be consequences to our children's actions or they will turn into unruly children who will grow up to be irresponsible adults. But what if once in awhile we extended our children the same grace, love and mercy that God extends us? Wouldn't it be okay to give them a hug and tell them that you know they didn't mean to disobey? To let them off the hook just this once and to let them know you love them and you know it's hard to be a kid?

I absolutely loved this parenting book and would not hesitate to recommend it to fellow parents of toddlers. I rate this book as 5 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”